Molded article and venting assembly for a rotating mold

Abstract

A molded article comprises an outer interface element, an inner interface element, and a plurality of web spokes positioned therebetween. The common surfaces of the inner and outer interface elements and a pair of adjacent web spokes form a void space. The surface of at least a portion of an interface element common to one of the voids has an edge radius with a variation from a maximum radius at a circumferential location corresponding to a mid point between a pair of adjacent web spokes to a minimum radius at a circumferential location corresponding to the intersection of the interface element with the web spoke.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A molded article comprising an outer interface element having a circumference and an axial width, an inner interface element having a circumference and an axial width, a plurality of web spokes positioned therebetween, and said web spokes being oriented in a generally radial direction, and the common surfaces of said inner interface element, said outer interface element, and a pair of adjacent web spokes forming a void space, wherein a surface of at least a portion of an axial end of said outer interface element common to said void space has an edge radius and said edge radius has a variation from a maximum edge radius value at a circumferential location corresponding to a midpoint between a pair of adjacent web spokes to a minimum edge radius value at the circumferential location corresponding to the intersection of said outer interface element with at least one of said web spokes whereas said edge radius is formed between the radially inner surface of said outer interface element and said axial end surface. 
     
     
       2. The molded article according to  claim 1 , wherein the variation of said edge radius is defined by a set of decreasing radii at circumferential locations between said midpoint between a pair of adjacent web spokes and at least one of said web spokes. 
     
     
       3. The molded article according to  claim 1 , wherein said minimum edge radius value is less than about five percent of a radial thickness of said outer interface element. 
     
     
       4. The molded article according to  claim 1 , wherein said maximum edge radius value is between about eighty percent and ninety five percent of a radial thickness of said outer interface element. 
     
     
       5. The molded article according to  claim 1 , wherein the variation of said edge radius is defined by a plurality control radii. 
     
     
       6. The molded article according to  claim 5 , comprising a first control radius at a circumferential location corresponding to said midpoint between a pair of adjacent web spokes, second control radius at a circumferential location circumferentially adjacent to a surface of said web spokes, and a third control radius at a circumferential location corresponding to the intersection of said outer interface element with one of said web spokes. 
     
     
       7. The molded article according to  claim 6 , wherein said first control radius is between about eighty percent and ninety five percent of a radial thickness of said outer interface element. 
     
     
       8. The molded article according to  claim 6 , wherein said second control radius is between about fifteen percent and thirty percent of a radial thickness of said outer interface element. 
     
     
       9. The molded article according to  claim 6 , wherein said minimum edge radius value is less than about five percent of a radial thickness of said outer interface element. 
     
     
       10. The molded article according to  claim 1 , wherein the edge radius of the portion of said outer interface element corresponding to a first void is variable, and the edge radius of the portion of said outer interface element corresponding to a second void is constant. 
     
     
       11. The molded article according to  claim 1 , wherein a first void and a second void are circumferentially adjacent.